Mickey Mantle wore it. Wilt Chamberlain and Joe Namath, too. Billed as the only choice for a masculine scent, Brut ‘defined masculinity for the American man.’ Created by Fabergé in 1964, Brut was so named to evoke something raw and rugged. Coming through on the promise, this spicy and manly fragrance guaranteed olfactory pleasure in a complete line of men’s grooming products.
Not just for sports heroes, Brut was often the first fragrance a boy discovered in his emulation of Dad. The powerful scent of aftershave was like a glimpse into your shaving future and all the other manly things that came with a razor. Nestled beside the rows of bottles from Mom, Dad’s small space was filled with the potent scent in the deep green bottle with a silver medallion. A splash in the palms of his big hands, a quick rub, and then a pat onto the cheeks and chin…it was Brut by Fabergé.
Whatever your stage of manliness, Brut was there with aftershave, shaving cream, power stick deodorant, splash on lotion, cologne, and even hairspray. Brut 33 offered ‘Essence de Brut’ in 1972, a more intense scent and a variation of fragrances. But men are creatures of habit, afraid to mess with a good thing, so the line was discontinued in 1974. Fabergé didn’t give up trying to offer men a more enticing repertoire of grooming, and in 1983 the company introduced the potent, but short-lived BrutRoyale. By 1988, enough men were finally willing to join the ranks of cologne wearers, and that year’s spray cologne was embraced.
Chesebrough-Ponds adopted the Brut line in 1989, continuing to offer a complete line of grooming products. The line still evolves with the needs of its consumers, and Brut remains a top seller. No surprise, really. Men will always want to smell like men, and boys will always try to smell like Dad.
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